The present invention is directed to the field of retaining clips, particularly those of the type used to removably secure a device to a support structure. The invention has particular applicability to the field of portable personal pagers, which are removably secured to a belt or other article of clothing worn by a user. The invention can also be used in pager applications and others in which a retaining clip is affixed to a holster, which retains the pager or other device.
A typical previous retaining clip assembly includes a clip which is pivotally attached to a base, i.e. a device body or a holster. The clip and base are typically attached with a separate pivot pin which extends through mounting structures on the clip and base to secure the components and define a pivoting axis. A spring is typically inserted in an area between the clip and base to provide a biasing force that urges the clip into a "closed" position with the base. The clip assembly is mounted to a belt or other support structure to secure the support structure between the clip and base.
The pivot pin and spring have been observed to cause certain problems in the manufacture of previous retaining clip assemblies. A pivot pin is typically inserted in a riveting operation. Proper pin insertion requires that the clip and base be properly aligned. However, due to space constraints, the spring must be in place before pin insertion. Thus, the clip, base and spring must all be positioned simultaneously with the spring compressed. A holding force must be used to stabilize the assembly during assembly. However, it is difficult to work with a "live" spring while holding three components and inserting a pin. This can result in misalignment or loss of the spring, creating an awkward assembly process. This results in increased manufacturing time, thereby reducing efficiency and adding to the cost of manufacture.